Warner Brothers Publications is now producing a “Young Jazz Ensemble Series” for those students who are starting to investigate jazz and its roots. The series is really designed for developing jazz ensembles and those students who are at the beginning level. The charts are full instrumentation (5 sax, 8 brass, 4 rhythm), but the nice part about these arrangements is that they are playable by reduced instrumentation of 4 saxes, 3 trumpets, 2 trombones and 3 rhythm which is helpful to a lot of programs around the country.

There are optional parts for flute, tuba, horn in F and baritone treble clef. Again this will not only introduce some new students to the world of jazz music, but will help the director to fill some spots that in some cases may not have been realized otherwise. Solos are written with chord changes and in a few cases a suggested written line is supplied. I really like this for the young bands as it is a rooted starting place for a young improvisor.

Rhythm section parts are excellent with suggested chord voicings and rhythms. The guitar parts provide chord frames so the guitarists have a complete road map for their comping.

Mike Carubia is a band director who understands what the young artists need and has supplied it with a blues, which is basic to the roots of jazz. I highly recommend this chart for the young jazz ensemble as it will serve as an excellent teaching device for your young jazz students who are eager to learn what this music is about.